[Timbone86]

I have windows XP. I just got a wireless Netgear wg311 v3 pci adapter for my tower. I installed it and ran the wizard for it. However, I'm only getting one bar and it doesn't connect me to the internet. I keep getting a dialog box that states "Local area connection network cable unplugged". I do not know what that means since I have it installed and I have a router that works on my laptop. What should I check for. Mind you, I'm not really super good with computers so please be vivid with your descriptions. Thank you for any help.

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Welcome to Geeks To Go!, Timbone86.

The message in the system-tray Local area connection network cable unplugged has nothing to do with your wireless connection. It's referring to your ethernet-connection which you normally use when you connect your PC to the router with a CAT5 cable. Evidently your no longer using the Ethernet connection since you've switched to wireless(and of course you must not have both connections enabled at the same time on the same PC)

Just ignore that message, or disable "Local Area Connection" (your ethernet card) in your network connections and the message will be suppressed.

Now, as regards your poor wireless signal, you may need to change your router's wireless-channel to a higher number - in the range 8 through 11. Currently it may be too low, which can affect wireless performance.

Using a computer that's connected to the router via ethernet (ie a cable, not wireless), open a web-browser and type 192.168.0.1 in the address bar and press [Enter]. A login prompt should appear.
If you haven't set up your own login for accessing the router configuration page, the defaults are admin for the username, and password for the password. (Don't use capital letters)
Click "log In".

You should now be at the configuration pages for your router.
Click "Wireless Settings" in the blue column on the left.
Set your world region if it's wrong.
Change the wireless channel to a high number between 8-11
Set "mode" to 'G & B'
Now save settings by scrolling to the bottom of the page and click "Apply"

Lastly, scroll down to bottom of blue column and click "Log Out"

Now go back to your PC which has a wireless card and see what sort of signal your getting.
(Any change of wireless channel is detected automatically by wireless adapters)

Edited by phillipcorcoran, 30 March 2010 - 11:30 AM.

[phillipcorcoran]

Welcome to Geeks To Go!, Timbone86.

The message in the system-tray Local area connection network cable unplugged has nothing to do with your wireless connection. It's referring to your ethernet-connection which you normally use when you connect your PC to the router with a CAT5 cable. Evidently your no longer using the Ethernet connection since you've switched to wireless(and of course you must not have both connections enabled at the same time on the same PC)

Just ignore that message, or disable "Local Area Connection" (your ethernet card) in your network connections and the message will be suppressed.

Now, as regards your poor wireless signal, you may need to change your router's wireless-channel to a higher number - in the range 8 through 11. Currently it may be too low, which can affect wireless performance.

Using a computer that's connected to the router via ethernet (ie a cable, not wireless), open a web-browser and type 192.168.0.1 in the address bar and press [Enter]. A login prompt should appear.
If you haven't set up your own login for accessing the router configuration page, the defaults are admin for the username, and password for the password. (Don't use capital letters)
Click "log In".

You should now be at the configuration pages for your router.
Click "Wireless Settings" in the blue column on the left.
Set your world region if it's wrong.
Change the wireless channel to a high number between 8-11
Set "mode" to 'G & B'
Now save settings by scrolling to the bottom of the page and click "Apply"

Lastly, scroll down to bottom of blue column and click "Log Out"

Now go back to your PC which has a wireless card and see what sort of signal your getting.
(Any change of wireless channel is detected automatically by wireless adapters)

Edited by phillipcorcoran, 30 March 2010 - 11:30 AM.